Optical scatterometry method of sidewall spacer analysis

ABSTRACT

A method of analyzing structural characteristics of sidewall spacers fabricated on a wafer is disclosed. A grating bar having a plurality of grating targets is provided. A theoretical optical scatterometry spectrum is generated by subjecting the grating targets to optical scatterometry. An experimental optical scatterometry spectrum is generated by subjecting the sidewall spacers on the wafer to optical scatterometry. The structural characteristics of the sidewall spacers are equated with the structural characteristics of the grating targets when the theoretical optical scatterometry spectrum substantially matches the experimental optical scatterometry spectrum.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to processes for analyzing the width, toploss and other parameters of sidewall spacers in the semiconductorfabrication industry. More particularly, the present invention relatesto method which uses optical scatterometry to accurately andsimultaneously measure both the width and top loss of sidewall spacersafter an etching process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The fabrication of various solid state devices requires the use ofplanar substrates, or semiconductor wafers, on which integrated circuitsare fabricated. The final number, or yield, of functional integratedcircuits on a wafer at the end of the IC fabrication process is ofutmost importance to semiconductor manufacturers, and increasing theyield of circuits on the wafer is the main goal of semiconductorfabrication. After packaging, the circuits on the wafers are tested,wherein non-functional dies are marked using an inking process and thefunctional dies on the wafer are separated and sold. IC fabricatorsincrease the yield of dies on a wafer by exploiting economies of scale.Over 1000 dies may be formed on a single wafer which measures from sixto twelve inches in diameter.

Various processing steps are used to fabricate integrated circuits on asemiconductor wafer. These steps include sequential deposition ofconductive and insulative layers on the silicon wafer substrate;formation of a photoresist or other mask such as titanium oxide orsilicon oxide, in the form of the desired metal interconnection pattern,using standard lithographic or photolithographic techniques; subjectingthe wafer substrate to a dry etching process to remove material from oneor more conducting layers from the areas not covered by the mask,thereby etching the conducting layer or layers in the form of the maskedpattern on the substrate; removing or stripping the mask layer from thesubstrate typically using reactive plasma and chlorine gas, therebyexposing the top surface of the conductive interconnect layer; andcooling and drying the wafer substrate by applying water and nitrogengas to the wafer substrate.

The numerous processing steps outlined above are used to cumulativelyapply multiple electrically conductive and insulative layers on thewafer and pattern the layers to form the circuits. Additionaltechniques, such as dual damascene processes, are used to formconductive vias which establish electrical contact betweenvertically-spaced conductive lines or layers in the circuits. Thefinished semiconductor product includes microelectronic devicesincluding transistors, capacitors and resistors that form the integratedcircuits on each of multiple die on a single wafer.

Transistors are important electrical elements in integrated circuits.Various design features, such as gate length and channel length, oftransistors are being steadily increased to achieve higher packagedensities in the enhancement of device performance. In complex digitalcircuits such as microprocessors, fast-switching transistors areincreasingly in demand. Thus, the channel or gate length, which is thedistance between the drain region and the source region of a fieldeffect transistor (FET), is being steadily reduced to reduce theelectrical resistance of the transistor.

A cross-section of a typical transistor structure 10 is shown in FIG. 1.The transistor structure 10 is fabricated between spaced-apart shallowtrench isolation (STI) regions 24 (one of which is shown in FIG. 1),typically silicon dioxide, which are initially formed in a silicon wafersubstrate 12. An insulating layer 26, such as silicon dioxide, coversthe surface of the substrate 12. The transistor structure 10 includes anelectrically-insulating gate oxide layer 14, which is typically athermally-grown silicon dioxide and is formed over the substrate 12,between the STI regions 24. A gate electrode 16, which is typicallypolysilicon, is formed on the gate oxide layer 14. A TEOS or other oxidelayer 18 and a nitride layer 20 are sequentially formed on respectivesides of the gate electrode 16.

After anisotropic etching of the nitride layer 20, the oxide layer 18and the nitride layer 20 together form an electrically-insulatingsidewall spacer, also known as a mini-spacer 22. Relative to the gateelectrode 16, the upper surfaces of the oxide layer 18 and nitride layer20 are characterized by a top loss 28, which corresponds to materiallost during etching. The traditional sidewall spacer 22, shown in FIG.1, extends in generally perpendicular relationship to the plane of thesubstrate 12. In some applications, the sidewall spacer 22 is tiltedwith respect to the plane of the substrate 12 and is known as an offsetspacer.

Ion implantation is used to form active regions on the transistorstructure 10. The ion implantation process includes the implantation ofdopant ions in the substrate 12 to form a source/drain implant in thesource and drain regions. Because the sidewall spacers 22 define theboundaries of the source/drain implant regions in the substrate 12, thewidth and top loss 28 of the sidewall spacers 22 after etching areimportant to achieve proper ion implantation in the substrate 12.

As microelectronic fabrication integration levels have increased andpatterned microelectronic conductor layer dimensions have decreased, ithas become increasingly important within the art of microelectronicfabrication to form within microelectronic fabrications patternedmicroelectronic conductor layers, such as but not limited to gateelectrodes within field effect transistors (FETs), as well as patternedmicroelectronic conductor interconnect layers, with a uniform sidewallprofile. Uniform sidewall profiles are particularly desirable withingate electrodes in field effect transistors since gate electrodelinewidth and profile define operational parameters of the integratedcircuit within which is formed the FET. Furthermore, the width ofsidewall spacers has decreased with the increased miniaturization ofdevice features.

Throughout the course of semiconductor fabrication, it is frequentlynecessary to measure various parameters of the sidewall spacers in atransistor structure, such as, for example, the spacer width and toploss after etching. Conventional methods for measuring the width of thesidewall spacers includes in-line CD SEM (scanning electron micrograph),in the case of traditional spacers, and TEM (transmission electronmicroscopy), in the case of offset spacers. Conventional methods formeasuring the spacer top loss include off-line SEM (for traditionalspacers) and TEM (for thin offset spacers).

The conventional SEM and TEM methods for measuring the spacer width andspacer top loss have several drawbacks. Due to image contrast issues andline edge roughness issues, it is often difficult to obtain reliableresults using in-line SEM. Furthermore, on offset spacers, the sidewallsare often too thin for accurate spacer width measurement using SEM, soTEM must be used. TEM, however, is a time-consuming process and cannotbe used in routine in-line measurement. Accordingly, a new and improvedmethod is needed to measure the spacer width and top loss of sidewallspacers in semiconductor fabrication.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method formeasuring spacer profiles in semiconductor fabrication.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel methodwhich uses optical scatterometry to measure various aspects of sidewallspacers in semiconductor fabrication.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an opticalscatterometry method of sidewall spacer analysis which includesproviding a grating bar having multiple grating targets that simulatethe CD (critical dimension), height, spacer width, top loss and otherphysical characteristics or the physical geometry of a spacer on asemiconductor wafer; generating theoretical optical scatterometryspectra of the grating targets on the grating bar; generating anexperimental optical scatterometry spectrum of spacers fabricated on aproduction wafer; and comparing the theoretical optical scatterometryspectra obtained from the grating targets with the experimental opticalscatterometry spectrum obtained from the spacers to determine a matchwhich indicates the spacer width, top loss or other structuralcharacteristics or the structural geometry of the spacers.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an opticalscatterometry method of spacer analysis which is efficient, can be usedin-line and does not require destruction of a sample to determinevarious structural characteristics of spacers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with these and other object and advantages, the presentinvention is generally directed to a novel method which is particularlysuitable for measuring the spacer width and top loss characteristics ofspacers fabricated on semiconductor wafers. The method includesfabricating a grating bar which typically includes multiple gratingtargets on a wafer. The grating targets on the wafer approximate orsimulate the structural characteristics including the width, height, CD(critical dimension), top loss and line/space ratio of actual sidewallspacers fabricated on a semiconductor wafer. The grating bar issubjected to optical scatterometry using a spectroscopic ellipsometersystem, and the structural parameters of the grating targets are variedby computer simulation to obtain theoretical optical scatterometryspectra which correspond to the structural characteristics of thegrating targets. The theoretical spectra are stored in a spectrumlibrary. During semiconductor fabrication, spacers on a production waferare subjected to optical scatterometry to obtain an experimental opticalscatterometry spectrum of the spacers. The experimental spectrum of thespacers is compared to the theoretical spectra obtained from thespectrum library. Accordingly, the theoretical spectrum obtained for thegrating targets which most closely matches the experimental spectrumobtained for the spacers corresponds to the grating target structuralcharacteristics which are substantially the same as the spacer width ortop loss dimensions of the spacer structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a typical conventional transistor structurehaving sidewall spacers;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a grating bar used in implementation of themethod of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of one of multiple grating targets provided onthe grating bar of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of a pair of transistor structures fabricatedon a production wafer, each transistor structure having a pair ofsidewall spacers to be analyzed according to the method of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic of a conventional spectroscopic ellipsometersystem being used to generate an optical scatterometry spectrum ofgrating targets on a grating bar in implementation of the method of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, sectional view of the grating bar shown in FIG.5, illustrating reflection of light rays from the grating targets on thegrating bar in implementation of the method of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the production wafer shown in FIG. 4,illustrating reflection of light rays from the sidewall spacers inimplementation of the method of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram which illustrates a preferred embodiment of themethod of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a spectrum graph with theoretical optical scatterometryspectra lines (indicated by the dashed lines) superimposed on anexperimental optical scatterometry spectrum line (indicated by the solidline), in determining the structural parameters or characteristics ofsidewall spacers on production wafers according to the method of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram which summarizes sequential process stepscarried out according to a preferred embodiment of the method of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contemplates a novel method which can be used tomeasure the spacer width, top loss and other structural characteristicsof spacers fabricated on semiconductor wafers, particularly after anetching process. The method includes fabricating a grating bar havingmultiple grating targets. The grating targets are typically fabricatedon a silicon wafer and approximate or simulate the structuralcharacteristics including the spacer width, top loss, height, CD(critical dimension), SWA, film stack and line/space ratiocharacteristics of actual sidewall spacers fabricated on a productionwafer.

According to one embodiment of the method of the present invention, thegrating bar is subjected to optical scatterometry, using a spectroscopicellipsometer system, to obtain an optical scatterometry spectrum whichreflects the structural characteristics and film scheme of the gratingtargets. A computer is used to create a set of theoretical spectra whichcorrespond to various pre-set structural characteristics and film stackparameters of the grating targets. The created set of theoreticalspectra is used to create a spectrum library. An experimental spectrumis then obtained by subjecting the spacers on the production wafer tooptical scatterometry. A match is then made between the experimentalspectrum and the most closely-matching theoretical spectrum selectedfrom the spectrum library. The matching theoretical spectrum is thenlinked with the corresponding pre-set structural characteristics andfilm stack parameters to obtain the structural characteristics and filmstack parameters of the spacers on the production wafer.

In another embodiment, the method is carried out according to a “realtime” mode in which the structural characteristic and film schemeparameters of the grating targets are varied by computer simulation toobtain theoretical optical scatterometry spectra which correspond to thesimulated structural characteristics of the grating targets. If atheoretical spectrum matches the experimental spectrum, then thesimulated structural characteristics and film scheme which produced thetheoretical spectrum indicate the structural characteristics and filmscheme parameters of the spacers on the production wafer. This methodmay utilize a computer which can be clustered into an etcher or phototrack to simultaneously measure the experimental spectrum andtheoretical spectra and perform a match in real-time, without the needto store the theoretical spectra in a spectrum library.

In the first embodiment, during the course of semiconductor fabrication,spacers on a production wafer are subjected to optical scatterometry toobtain an experimental optical scatterometry spectrum of the spacers.The experimental optical scatterometry spectrum reflects the structuralcharacteristics of the spacers in the same manner as the theoreticaloptical scatterometry spectra reflect the structural characteristics ofthe grating targets on the grating bar. The experimental opticalscatterometry spectrum is compared to the computer-simulated theoreticaloptical scatterometry spectra obtained from the spectrum library.Accordingly, the theoretical spectrum which most closely matches theexperimental spectrum obtained for the spacers corresponds to thegrating target dimensions and physical characteristics which aresubstantially the same as those of the spacer structures. The criticaldimension, height, spacer width, top loss and other structuralcharacteristics of the grating targets therefore correspond to thoserespective characteristics of the spacers when the theoretical spectrumof the grating targets matches or most closely matches the experimentalspectrum of the spacers.

Referring initially to FIG. 4, a pair of transistor structures 60fabricated on a production wafer substrate 62 is shown at one stage ofintegrated circuit fabrication. An insulating layer 76, such as silicondioxide, typically covers the surface of the wafer 62. Each transistorstructure 60 includes a gate oxide layer 64, which is typically athermally-grown silicon dioxide formed on the wafer 62. A gate electrode66, typically polysilicon, is formed on the gate oxide layer 64. Asidewall spacer 72 provided on each side of the gate electrode 66includes an inner oxide layer 68 and an outer nitride layer 70.

In fabrication of the transistor structures 60, the oxide layer 68 andthe nitride layer 70 are etched to form the electrically-insulatingsidewall spacer 72, as is known by those skilled in the art. The uppersurfaces of the oxide layer 68 and nitride layer 70 are characterized bya top loss 78, which corresponds to material lost during etching.According to the method of the present invention, the width of thesidewall spacer 72 and the top loss 78, as well as other structuralparameters of the transistor structures 60, are measured after etchingusing optical scatterometry, as hereinafter described, prior to resumingfabrication of integrated circuits on the substrate 62. The method ofthe present invention provides a precise in-line metrology technique tomeasure the width of sidewall spacers 72 having a magnitude of as littleas 50 angstroms or smaller.

Referring next to FIGS. 2 and 3, a grating bar 30 used in implementationof the method of the present invention includes a bar substrate 32,which may be a silicon semiconductor wafer, for example. Multiplegrating targets 33 are provided on the bar substrate 32, in spaced-apartrelationship to each other. The structural characteristics of thegrating targets 33, as well as the spacing 35 between adjacent gratingtargets 33, simulate and approximate the structural characteristics andspacings 74, respectively, of the transistor structures 60 fabricated onthe production wafer 62 heretofore described with respect to FIG. 4. Aninsulating layer 40, which may be silicon dioxide, for example,typically covers the surface of the bar substrate 32. The gratingtargets 33 preferably cover a rectangular-shaped area of at least about20 μm×20 μm on the surface of the bar substrate 32.

As shown in FIG. 3, each grating target 33 on the bar substrate 32typically includes a gate oxide layer 34 which may be silicon dioxide,for example, and is deposited on the bar substrate 32; a gate electrode36, typically polysilicon, formed on the gate oxide layer 34; and asimulated sidewall spacer 42, characterized by a dielectric layer 38,provided on each side of the gate electrode 36. The gate oxide layer 34and gate electrode 36 of each grating target 33 may be formed usingconventional deposition techniques known by those skilled in the art.The simulated sidewall spacers 42 are formed and then etched to define asimulated top loss 44, typically using the same deposition and etchingtechniques which are used to fabricate the transistor structures 60 onthe production wafer substrate 64 of FIG. 4.

Each simulated sidewall spacer 42 may be a single dielectric layer 38,or alternatively, may be multiple dielectric layers. The dielectriclayer 38 may be an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride or any combination ofand oxide, a nitride and an oxynitride. The simulated sidewall spacer 42can be a single layer thin offset spacer, an L-shaped spacer, atriangular-shaped spacer or a trapezoid-shaped spacer. The totalthickness of the simulated sidewall spacer 42 is typically up to about1,000 angstroms.

The single dielectric layer 38 of each sidewall spacer 42 ischaracterized by reduced horizontal complexity as compared to that ofthe sidewall spacers 72 of the transistor structures 60 fabricated onthe production wafer of FIG. 4. This reduced horizontal complexityrenders the simulated sidewall spacers 42 more amenable to generatingoptical scatterometry computer simulations in implementation of themethod of the present invention, as hereinafter described.

Referring next to FIG. 5, a conventional spectroscopic ellipsometersystem 46 in implementation of the present invention is shown.Spectroscopic ellipsometry technique is widely used for thin filmmetrology in the semiconductor industry. The spectroscopic ellipsometersystem 46 includes a broadband light source 48 which emits a beam ofincident light 49 a through a rotating polarizer 50, which polarizes theincident light 49 a. Polarized light 49 b emerges from the rotatingpolarizer 50 and strikes the object of interest, which is, in this case,either the grating targets 33 provided on the grating bar 30, as shown,or the transistor structures 60 (FIG. 4) fabricated on the productionwafer substrate 62 during the course of semiconductor fabrication, aswill be hereinafter described.

The polarized light 49 b is reflected from the object of interest asreflected light 49 c, which passes through an analyzer 52 and a prism54, respectively. The prism 54 separates the reflected light 49 c into alight spectrum 49 d. The light spectrum 49 d strikes an array detector56. A computer 58, having a monitor screen 59, is connected to the arraydetector 56. The computer 58 is provided with supporting software whichenables the computer 58 to plot the degree of polarization versus thewavelength of the reflected light 49 c reflected from the object ofinterest, based on the light spectrum 49 d that strikes the arraydetector 56. In the case in which the grating bar 30 is the object ofinterest, as shown, the degree of polarization of the reflected light 49c at each wavelength is determined by the various structuralcharacteristics of the grating targets 33, such as the spacer width, toploss, critical dimension and thicknesses of the film layers, as well asthe refractive indices and extinction coefficients of the film layersand the bar substrate 32.

Referring next to FIG. 9, based on imput from the array detector 56, thecomputer 58 generates a spectrum graph 80 in which the degree ofpolarization of the reflected light 49 c is represented numerically from−1 to +1 and plotted along the Y-axis. The wavelength of the light,typically from 250 nm to 750 nm, is plotted along the X-axis of thespectrum graph 80. The spectrum graph 80 is displayed on the monitorscreen 59 of the computer 58.

The spectrum graph 80 includes multiple theoretical opticalscatterometry spectra lines 82, one of which corresponds to the actualstructural characteristics of the grating targets 33 on the grating bar30, as revealed by spectroscopy analysis using the system 46. Thecomputer 58 may be programmed to generate simulated variations on thestructural characteristics of the grating targets 33 on the grating bar30, in which case the theoretical optical scatterometry spectrum lines82 reflect those simulated structural characteristics of the gratingtargets 33 as those characteristics would be revealed by spectroscopicanalysis using the system 46. An experimental optical scatterometryspectrum line 84, which corresponds to the structural characteristics ofthe transistor structures 60 fabricated on the production wafer 62 asrevealed by spectroscopic analysis, is further plotted on the spectrumgraph 80. As hereinafter further described, the theoretical spectrumline 82 which most closely matches the experimental spectrum line 84corresponds to the grating targets 33 having the actual orcomputer-generated structural characteristic parameters which mostclosely approximate the structural characteristic parameters of thetransistor structures 60 on the production wafer 62.

The spectrum graph 80 shown in FIG. 9 illustrates just one experimentalspectrum, α(λ), of the incident light 49 a obtained from thespectrographic ellipsometer (SE) measurements of the grating targets 33and the transistor structures 60. Preferably, however, two experimentalspectra, α(λ) and β(λ), are obtained from the incident light 49 a ineach SE measurement.

Referring next to FIGS. 5-9, typical implementation of the method of thepresent invention is as follows. As shown in FIG. 8, process informationand grating information are initially gathered, as indicated in steps 1a and 1 b, respectively, and used to fabricate the grating bar 30, asindicated in step 1. The process information and grating informationcorrespond to process parameter recipes which are used to fabricatetransistor structures 60 (FIG. 4) having sidewall spacers 72 on actualproduction wafers 62 during the fabrication of integrated circuits onthe wafers 62. These process parameter recipes are also used tofabricate the grating targets 33 on the grating bar 30 such that thesimulated sidewall spacer 42 (FIG. 3), simulated top loss 44, height andspacing 35 (FIG. 2) of the grating targets 33 on the grating bar 30 asclosely as possible approximate those respective structuralcharacteristics and dimensions of the transistor structures 60 to befabricated on the production wafer substrate 62 and tested according tothe method of the present invention.

As indicated in step 2 of FIG. 8, the grating bar 30 is next subjectedto spectroscopic ellipsometry using the system 46. Accordingly, as shownin FIG. 5, incident light 49 a is emitted from the broadband lightsource 48 and passes through the rotating polarizer 50. Polarized light49 b emerges from the rotating polarizer 50 and strikes the gratingtargets 33 on the grating bar 30. As shown in FIG. 6, the polarizedlight 49 b is reflected from the grating targets 33, including thesimulated sidewall spacers 42 (FIG. 3) thereof, as reflected light 49 c.The reflected light 49 c passes through the analyzer 52 and the prism54, respectively, and the prism separates the reflected light 49 c intothe light spectrum 49 d. The light spectrum 49 d impinges on the arraydetector 56.

Based on data input from the array detector 56, the computer 58 plotsthe spectrographic information for the actual structural characteristicsof the grating targets 33 on a spectrum graph 80, as heretoforedescribed with respect to FIG. 9, and stores the spectrographicinformation in a database. The computer 58 is then used to generatespectographic information which is based on simulated structuralcharacteristics of the grating targets 33 that vary with respect to theactual structural characteristics previously analyzed using the system46 and stored as spectrographic information on the computer 58. Thissimulated spectographic information is plotted with the actualspectographic information on the spectrum graph 80 and stored as alibrary, as indicated in step 2 of FIG. 8.

After creation of the spectographic information library based on actualand simulated analysis of the grating targets 33 on the grating bar 30,the transistor structures 60 fabricated on the production wafer 62 areanalyzed using the system 46, as indicated in step 3 of FIG. 8 and inthe same manner as heretofore described with respect to the grating bar30 in FIG. 5. The spectroscopic analysis typically follows an etchingprocess in which the sidewall spacers 72 (FIG. 4) and top loss 78 areconfigured in each of the transistor structures 60. The etching processmay be conventional and may or may not be followed by wet cleaning ofthe sidewall spacers 72.

During spectroscopic analysis, as shown in FIG. 7, polarized light 49 cis reflected from the transistor structures 60, including the sidewallspacers 72. The polarized light 49 c is separated by the prism 54 into alight spectrum 49 d, which strikes the array detector 56. Based on datainput from the array detector 56, the computer 58 plots thespectrographic information for the structural characteristics of thetransistor structures 60 on a spectrum graph 80, as heretofore describedwith respect to FIG. 9.

As indicated in step 5 of FIG. 8, the computer 58 retrieves the actualand simulated spectographic information, based on the grating bar 30,from the library database and plots this information as the theoreticaloptical scatterometry spectrum lines 82 on the spectrum graph 80, asshown in FIG. 9. The computer 58 further plots the spectographicinformation which was previously obtained by spectographic analysis ofthe transistor structures 60 on the production wafer 62 using the system46, and plots this information as the experimental optical scatterometryspectrum line 84 in the spectrum graph 80 of FIG. 9. Therefore, both thetheoretical spectrum lines 82 and the experimental spectrum line 84 areplotted together on the same spectrum graph 80, as indicated in step 5of FIG. 8 and shown in FIG. 9.

With the theoretical optical scatterometry spectrum lines 82 and theexperimental optical scatterometry spectrum line 84 superimposed on thesame spectrum graph 80, a complete or relative congruency or homologycan be observed between the experimental spectrum line 84 and theclosest of the theoretical spectrum lines 82. Accordingly, thetheoretical spectrum line 82 which most closely matches the experimentalspectrum line 84, for each light polarization value (along the Y-axis)at each wavelength (along the X-axis), corresponds to the gratingtargets 33 having the actual or computer-simulated structuralcharacteristics which most closely correspond to the structuralcharacteristics of the transistor structures 60 on the production wafer62. In FIG. 9, the theoretical spectrum line 82 a is the most congruentwith the experimental spectrum line 84. Accordingly, as indicated instep 6 of FIG. 8, the critical dimension (CD), top loss, spacer width,SWA and other structural aspects of the transistor structures 60 on theproduction wafer 62 are revealed by those respective actual orcomputer-simulated characteristics of the grating targets 33 whichproduced the theoretical spectrum line 82 that most closely matches theexperimental spectrum line 84. The computer 58 thus matches thetheoretical spectrum line 82 a with the simulated structuralcharacteristics of the grating targets 33 which generated thetheoretical spectrum line 82 a. The actual structural characteristics ofthe transistor structures 60 are therefore equated with the simulatedstructural characteristics of those grating targets 33. The computer 58may be programmed to indicate any of the desired structuralcharacteristics, such as the spacer width, top loss, top loss range,uniformity of the transistor structures 60 across the production wafer62 or uniformity of the spacing 74 between transistor structures 60across the production wafer 62, as a readout parameter for thestructural characteristics or geometry.

In a preferred embodiment, a criteria for a judgment parameter are setfor the degree of homology between the experimental spectrum line 84 andthe multiple theoretical spectrum lines 82. This judgment parameter forthe degree of homology can be expressed by numerals from 0 to 1. Forexample, a perfect homology between the experimental spectrum line 84and the most closely-fitting theoretical spectrum line 82 could beexpressed by the numeral “1”. On the other hand, the numeral “0” wouldindicate no homology between a theoretical spectrum line 82 and theexperimental spectrum line 84.

In one embodiment, the system 46 may be installed in an etching processtool (not shown) used to etch the production wafers 62, in which casethe computer 58 of the system 46 interfaces with the control system ofthe tool. As multiple production wafers 62 are processed in successivelots through the etcher and then subjected to in-line spectroscopymeasurement using the spectroscopic ellipsometer system 46, in themanner heretofore described, an SPC chart (not shown) can be constructedfor the purpose of monitoring the etching process. The SPC chartincludes the output parameters of the experimental spectrum line 84 foreach of the production wafers 62 in the lot subjected to spectroscopyafter etching, along with the readout parameters of the theoreticalspectrum line 82 which corresponds to the ideal structuralcharacteristics, including the spacer width and top loss, for thesidewall spacers 72 of the transistor structures 60 on each of theproduction wafers 62. Control limits are then set for the SPC chart. Inthe event that the output parameters of the experimental spectrum line84 for the etched production wafers 62 in the production lot straysbeyond the control limits set for the SPC chart, an audible alarm,visual alarm or both may be activated to alert operating personnel tothe out-of-sync condition of the etching process. Alternatively,operation of the etching tool may be automatically terminated in theevent that the output parameters of the experimental spectrum line 84for any of the etched production wafers 62 strays beyond the controllimits for the SPC chart.

The flow diagram of FIG. 10 summarizes a typical flow of process stepscarried out according to the method of the present invention. In step 1,a grating bar having grating targets fabricated thereon is provided. Thegrating targets approximate the CD, spacing, spacer width, top loss,SWA, film stack, line/space ratio and other structural characteristicsof transistor structures fabricated on production wafers. In step 2, thegrating bar is subjected to optical scatterometry using a spectroscopicellipsometer system to obtain a theoretical optical scatterometryspectrum which is determined by the structural characteristics of thegrating targets. Computer simulations may be used to vary the structuralcharacteristics of the grating targets and obtain a variety oftheoretical optical scatterometry spectra. In step 3, a theoreticalspectrum library, which contains the theoretical optical scatterometryspectra, is created.

In step 4, a production wafer is subjected to optical scatterometryusing the spectroscopic ellipsometer system to obtain an experimentaloptical scatterometry spectrum which is determined by the structuralcharacteristics of the transistor structures with sidewall spacersfabricated on the production wafer. In step 5, the experimental spectrumis compared to the theoretical spectra. This is accomplished typicallyby plotting the experimental spectrum with the theoretical spectra on aspectrum graph on which the degree of polarization of light is plottedas a function of wavelength. In step 6, a match is made between theexperimental spectrum and the theoretical spectrum which most closelymatches the experimental spectrum. The theoretical spectrum which mostclosely matches the experimental spectrum corresponds to actual orsimulated structural characteristics of the grating targets which aresubstantially the same as the structural characteristics of thetransistor structures.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been describedabove, it will be recognized and understood that various modificationscan be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended tocover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scopeof the invention.

1. A method of analyzing structural characteristics of sidewall spacersfabricated on a wafer, comprising the steps of: etching said sidewallspacers on said wafer using an etcher; providing a grating bar having aplurality of grating targets each comprising a gate electrode and a pairof dielectric spacers; generating a theoretical optical scatterometryspectrum by subjecting said grating targets to input light in opticalscatterometry; generating an experimental optical scatterometry spectrumby subjecting said sidewall spacers to input light in opticalscatterometry; comparing said experimental optical scatterometryspectrum to said theoretical optical scatterometry spectrum; andequating said structural characteristics of said sidewall spacers withsaid structural characteristics of said grating targets when saidtheoretical optical scatterometry spectrum substantially matches saidexperimental optical scatterometry spectrum.
 2. The method of claim 1further comprising the steps of providing an SPC chart having saidexperimental optical scatterometry spectrum and said theoretical opticalscatterometry spectrum, providing control limits for said SPC chart andactivating an alarm when said experimental optical scatterometryspectrum strays beyond said control limit.
 3. The method of claim 1further comprising the step of cleaning said wafer in a wet-cleanprocess after said etching the sidewall spacers on said wafer.
 4. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said dielectric spacer is a single-layerdielectric spacer or a multi-layer dielectric spacer.
 5. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said dielectric material is a material selected from thegroup consisting of an oxide, a nitride, an oxynidride, silicon carbide,and any combination of an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride and siliconcarbide.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a spectroscopicellipsometer system for carrying out said optical scatterometry and acomputer connected to said system, and wherein said theoretical opticalscatterometry spectrum is generated simultaneously with saidexperimental optical scatterometry spectrum in a real-time mode.
 7. Amethod of analyzing structural characteristics of sidewall spacersfabricated on a wafer, comprising the steps of: etching said sidewallspacers on said wafer using an etcher; providing a grating bar having aplurality of grating targets each comprising a gate electrode and a pairof dielectric spacers each selected from the group consisting of asingle-layer offset spacer, an L-shaped spacer, a triangular-shapedspacer and a trapezoid-shaped spacer; generating a theoretical opticalscatterometry spectrum by subjecting said grating targets to input lightin optical scatterometry; generating an experimental opticalscatterometry spectrum by subjecting said sidewall spacers to inputlight in optical scatterometry; comparing said experimental opticalscatterometry spectrum to said theoretical optical scatterometryspectrum; and equating said structural characteristics of said sidewallspacers with said structural characteristics of said grating targetswhen said theoretical optical scatterometry spectrum substantiallymatches said experimental optical scatterometry spectrum.
 8. The methodof claim 7 wherein said single-layer offset spacer is up to about 1,000angstroms.
 9. The method of claim 7 wherein said dielectric spacers areabsent from a top portion of said gate electrode.
 10. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising the step of indicating a portion of saidstructural characteristics of said sidewall spacers as a readoutparameter and wherein said readout parameter comprises a width of saidsidewall spacers.
 11. The method of claim 9 wherein said readoutparameter further comprises a top loss of said sidewall spacers.
 12. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising a spectroscopic ellipsometer systemfor carrying out said optical scatterometry and a computer connected tosaid system, and wherein said theoretical optical scatterometry spectrumand said structural characteristics of said grating targets are storedas a library in said computer.
 13. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising the step of obtaining theoretical optical scatterometryspectra by generating computer simulations of said structuralcharacteristics of said grating targets.
 14. The method of claim 1further comprising a spectroscopic ellipsometer system for carrying outsaid optical scatterometry and wherein said spectroscopic ellipsometersystem is installed in said etcher.
 15. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid input light comprises wavelength of from about 200 nm to about 900nm.
 16. The method of claim 1 wherein said input light is polarized. 17.The method of claim 2 wherein said optical scatterometry utilizes twospectra of said input light.
 18. The method of claim 1 wherein saidplurality of grating targets define a grating area of at least about 20μm².
 19. The method of claim 1 further comprising estabilishing ajudgment parameter for said comparing said experimental opticalscatterometry spectrum to said theoretical optical scatterometryspectrum, wherein 0 is no homology and 1 is complete homology.
 20. Themethod of claim 1 grating bar comprises a silicon bar substrate andwherein said grating targets are provided on said grating bar.
 21. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising the step of indicating a portion ofsaid structural characteristics of said sidewall spacers as a readoutparameter and wherein said readout parameter comprises a spacing betweensaid sidewall spacers.
 22. A method of analyzing structuralcharacteristics of sidewall spacers fabricated on a wafer, comprisingthe steps of: etching said sidewall spacers on said wafer using anetcher; providing a grating bar having a plurality of grating targetseach comprising a gate electrode and a pair of dielectric spacersflanging said gate electrode and absent from a top portion of said gateelectrode; generating a theoretical optical scatterometry spectrum bysubjecting said grating targets to input light in optical scatterometry;generating an experimental optical scatterometry spectrum by subjectingsaid sidewall spacers to input light in optical scatterometry; comparingsaid experimental optical scatterometry spectrum to said theoreticaloptical scatterometry spectrum; equating said structural characteristicsof said sidewall spacers with said structural characteristics of saidgrating targets when said theoretical optical scatterometry spectrumsubstantially matches said experimental optical scatterometry spectrum;and indicating a portion of said structural characteristics of saidsidewall spacers as a readout parameter and wherein said readoutparameter comprises a spacer top loss range of said sidewall spacersacross said wafer.